With the wave of a wand everything could be different.

image from mugglenet.com

“You’ll soon find out some wizarding families are much better than others, Potter. You don’t want to go making friends with the wrong sort. I can help you there.” He held out his hand to shake Harry’s, but Harry didn’t take it. “I think I can tell who the wrong sort are for myself, thanks,” he said coolly.”

There's just something about this scene in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone that set the scene from the start, in declining Draco's offer of friendship he gained himself an enemy before he'd even got himself into the main castle. What happened in that little room off the great hall could have changed Harry's entire life, well maybe not the entire life as his seemed to be destined from the start, but his Hogwarts life with Draco would've been entirely different than with Ron and Hermione.

It got me thinking last night about times in my life when things like this has happened and if I'd have done the opposite of what I'd done then my life could be totally different. I in fact had this same exchange as Harry in year 8 when I'd just moved to a new school. I'd been placed with these two girls in my class to hang out with and learn where my new classes were and some other girls in the class came up to me and asked me to hang out with them instead. They included the fact that they were more popular in the class and that I shouldn't be hanging out with the people I were at the time. I declined their offer choosing to stay with the two girls I'd been making friends with, even though they seemed a little weird they seemed more like me than these popular girls. When I think about it now I wonder what my life would be like if I'd have said yes and hung out with them. I probably wouldn't have lasted, I'm not exactly the coolest person on the planet but maybe I might have, maybe I might have stayed friends with them up until now partying every weekend. Maybe I would've dropped out of school in year 11 or 12 to pursue a job rather than getting into University. It's a scary thought. 

This is one example that stood out to me in my brain as it was so similar to Harry's but I wonder what else in my life would have been different if only I'd chosen a different answer... 

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas tag.

So with Christmas songs blasting and just having finished packing for the holiday I shall be on when you read this I checked out a few of my favourite blogs and came across the Christmas Tag on Megan's blog Moonbeamwishes (check it out here) and I thought I'd have a go.

1. What is your favorite Christmas movie?

I am quite the ironic Christmas movie person with some of my favourites being Elf and The Grinch however I do really like Rise Of The Guardians which although isn't hugely Christmas related it has got Santa in it and came out before Christmas so I class it as one. Although I take this as I can watch it all year round... unlike other Christmas movies which are strictly December movies only. 

2. Do you open your presents on Christmas eve or Christmas morning?

Definitely Christmas morning, apologies to all who do but I find it a really weird concept to open them on Christmas eve... Santa hasn't even been then? When I was a kid we always used to go to either one of my grandparents house on Christmas day and do presents and dinner and then the other grandparents house on Boxing day and do presents and dinner so I used to kind of have two Christmas days a year! 

3. Do you have a favorite Christmas memory?

I don't really have a favourite Christmas memory I just have a lot of nice ones with my family and friends throughout the years. But I do like how my boyfriend asked me out on Christmas eve last year that was cute. 

4. Favorite festive food?

Probably the huge amount of chocolate that goes on sale, of course Chocolate Oranges. 

5. Favorite Christmas gift?

When I was 2 I got one of those giant toy kitchens that were so massive compared to a 2 year old that it was just the most magical thing in the world. I was probably shorter than the washing basket in the photo below it was just that great. I've gotten loads of more flash and expensive presents since but this was always the one present I remember clearly. 

6. Favorite Christmas scent?

Cinnamon or baking scents. 

7. Do you have any Christmas eve traditions?

My family and I always go to the movies on Christmas Eve to watch the latest Christmas movie that came out and that would always be in the Christmas movie box next December. 

8. What tops your tree?

An angel on our family one and a light up star on my personal one. 

9. As a kid what was the one (crazy, wild, extravagant) gift you always asked for but never received?

We always asked for a puppy and every time my mum said no.  

10. What's the best part about Christmas for you?

I love all the cheesiness and festivities, even though it's hardly festive in New Zealand at Christmas, my family and I all are Christmas fanatics so have a great time together.